Guiding Principles for the DLE

The LMS Implementation Teams have collaborated with the Governance structures to build the following Guiding Principles that serve as the foundation for how the Digital Learning Environment is supported at Texas A&M:  

1. Single University Template Applied to all TAMU Courses

Purpose: The Texas A&M University template is automatically applied to all courses in Canvas to enhance the student experience and is 100% accessible out-of-the-box. This template is in place to create a consistent experience across all courses at TAMU so students can easily navigate and predict the structure of their courses.

We have curated resources to better assist in enhancing the template. If you have already modified the template and would like to move content from one semester to another, view the Copying Canvas Materials Between Courses section to determine which method you should use to move content, guidance on both methods, and additional best practices for setting up your course.

Below is a timeline of noteworthy milestones for how the template has evolved since its inception: 

2020 Summer II	2020 Fall	2021 Spring	2021 Summer	2021 Fall	2022 Spring	2023 Spring
70 published courses Used accessibility checker and instructional design to ensure accessibility	23% of course sections published in Canvas Added dedicated Instructor resources	Created student-facing Academic and University resource pages Applied student feedback from Fall 2020 to create the Syllabus page Streamlined the left-side Navigation based on Instructor and student feedback	Accessibility rating becomes priority with a 54% accessibility score	First full semester exclusively on Canvas 98% Accessibility score 96% of 100 and 200-level courses using Canvas	100% Accessibility score Reduced embedded files from 250 to 138 Reduced storage capacity of the template files from nearly 8 mb to 2.85 mb	Consolidated University and Canvas Resources page for student ease of use Adjusted page Heading structure for ease of use and accessibility, including Syllabus page
Moving forward, we are exploring the use of individual templates per subaccount (representing each school, college, or branch campus), although we would do so balancing our commitment to accessibility and student success.

2. Training Requirements for Course Associate Roles

Purpose: Course Associate roles that would like to be added into a course in Canvas are required to complete and stay-up to date on training offered through TrainTraq. These trainings were carefully selected by the LMS Implementation teams to ensure those individuals in these roles that receive access to sensitive material such as student grades are compliant.

We have also created a process to allow for non-student employees that do not receive access to TrainTraq to have an opportunity to complete the required training 

3. Section Merge Deadline Ahead of the Start of a Semester

Purpose: As course sections are automatically provisioned for instructors, TAMU has launched ORCA where instructors and Academic Liaisons can request to merge sections of Canvas courses. When course sections are merged after students interact with a course, which typically is after the first day of classes, those interactions are lost and cannot be recovered. To prevent the loss of student interactions, we have applied a course merge deadline that falls before the start of classes. 

4. Third-Party Tool Integration Process

Purpose: The LMS Implementation teams have collaborated on developing a third-party tool process that encompasses a call for requests, security and accessibility reviews, FERPA compliance, testing, and integration in Canvas. This opportunity to participate in this process has been extended to Academic Liaisons to submit the requested tools for their Academic Units.

Requested tools will move through the process and their status is updated for the campus community to stay up to date on where their requested tool is in the process. Once approved, the tools will be implemented at the requesting unit’s subaccount where the Academic Liaisons will lead the training and support for the tool. 

5. Course Storage Capacity

Purpose: In an effort to promote student success in teaching and learning, all courses at TAMU have been provisioned with 1 GB of storage. This quota allows for faculty to leverage cloud storage solutions so students can securely access content without requiring them to download and load files. 

6. TAMU System Records and Retention Policy

Purpose: TAMU System Records and Retention Policy requires the Instructor of Record to export and securely store student academic records (e.g. completed class tests, examinations, course papers, and instructor grade books) for safekeeping for one year past the course end date. After the Instructor of Record submits final grades in a course for posting on students’ academic transcripts, the Office of the Registrar is the official records custodian of the permanent academic transcript.

Courses in Canvas at TAMU are available for students to interact from the first day of the start of term until the last day of the late grading period. This policy has automatically been applied to all courses. After the last day of the late grading period for the term closes, the course will be available as read only to all users.